


Ice Cream: The Last Stage of Greif

by ToDefineIsToLimit



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emails, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Ice Cream, Long-Distance Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 08:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18567412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToDefineIsToLimit/pseuds/ToDefineIsToLimit
Summary: Flint and Lev went to different colleges and email each other to stay in touch.This is for eatmoarveggis they have Sanders sides OC's and requested this.You can send them asks for their sides on their tumblr blog @ask-villegas-sides





	Ice Cream: The Last Stage of Greif

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eatmoarveggis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatmoarveggis/gifts).



> Hope this is to your liking friendo  
> Also hope it's in character, I don't even know anymore

To be entirely honest Flint had not predicted that college would be such a Negative experience this far. 

When preparing for college he had, to an extent, assumed that he would be well liked. After all, wasn't this the very setting that people like him excelled? He expected that people there would finally appreciate his academic efforts, and his wealth of knowledge.

So, Flint was very upset to realize that college was identical to high school in all aspects except course material. Socially, people determined their place in the exact same way. It was all based upon shared interests, and proximity to one another in classes. 

Most surprisingly, people seemed to be jealous of his success in class rather than admiring. Flint quickly realized that among his many strengths making friends was not one of them.

But, of course, Lev was doing infinitely better than he was. Which he soon realized with Lev's first email.

“Hi Flint!!! <3 <3 <3,” His first email had said. 

Flint rolled his eyes at the enthusiasm, but felt a small pang of wistfulness as he imagined Lev grinning while he typed this.

“So I fiiiiinalllly got to meet my new roomie today. It's been driving me crazy trying to figure out what kind of person he would be! His name is Beckett and he's suuuper serious.  
Kinda like you, actually ^^” 

He felt foolish, he had thought for a moment that perhaps Lev was also having a hard time meeting people. Of course, he wouldn't, though. This was Lev, his intensely friendly demeanor wore down even the most introverted of people.

After all, that was how he and Flint had become friends in the first place.

Flint had very few friends outside of Lev AMD none he was quite as close with. This fact didn't seem so discouraging when they were five minutes away from each other, but now there was an eleven hour drive between them. Flint would never admit it but the distance was crushingly lonely. 

Flint, of course, also had a roommate. His name was Reese, but he seemed more interested in the arts than anything Flint knew about. They hadn't exactly become friends.

None of this was to say that Flint wanted Lev to be as alone as he was. In the end he was happy that his best friend had new people to hang out with. Even if Flint suspected that would mean leaving him behind. 

So, Flint started typing his response.

***

Lev was laying on his bed watching YouTube videos and waiting to see if Flint would respond. It had been a whole day since he sent the first email and Lev was start to wondering if he had said something wrong.

Finally, a reply came through. 

Lev grinned clicking open his account. “Dear Lev,” It began formally. Flint had always been like that, perfect grammar no matter what. “I am pleased to hear you and your roommate are getting along well.” 

Lev frowned. That wasn't quite right. He was getting along with Beckett fine, but they didn't talk much yet. Lev could tell he was a good kid though.

“I hope I am not disturbing your undoubtedly busy schedule with how lengthy my reply is.” Flint spent the next four paragraphs explaining how the move went and how well he was doing in his classes. He even mentioned that he too had met his roommate. 

“I truly believe I have found out who I'll be spending the next four years with. I'm glad to hear you have found the same.” 

Oh… well that wasn't true at all. In fact Lev hadn't made friends with much of anyone yet. 

Everyone was really focused on doing their work and getting home. They didn't have time to talk. Most everyone still had friends from home that they were talking to. 

But… Flint seemed happy. Lev was sure he'd find some friends soon. He decided not to bother Flint about it in the meantime. It would be fine. There was no reason to make him worry.

He started typing up his email back.

***

Flint tried to resist opening Lev's email as long as possible. After all it was quite likely that the emails would become less frequent as time went on because of Lev's social success. Lev would not need to cling to their friendship in the way Flint wished to.

He managed to push it back three whole days when the plan came to a halt. He was typing up an assignment for school when suddenly his phone rang.

The screen read “Lev!!!!” 

Lev had set his own contact name. 

Flint picked it up and answered attempting to sound more relaxed than he felt.

“Hello?”

“Flint!” Lev's tone was scolding. Flint smiled softly hearing Lev say his name. 

Perhaps he was missing his friend somewhat. Not that he would admit to it.

“I said that you and I didn't have to talk on the phone, or text if you promised to email me all the time!” Lev said seriously. It was true they had originally made this deal because Didn't didn't care for phone calls or texting.

“I did email you.” Flint argued.

“One time! Which is not enough so now you have to talk to me on the phone for a while” Lev said stubbornly

“I mean, unless you're busy.” He amended.

Flint glanced at the assignment that was up on his screen. He debated how he should tell Lev that he was busy.

He opened his mouth to speak and the words “I have time,” came tumbling from his mouth unbidden. He blinked in surprise.

“Oh good because I've missed talking to you.” Lev said honestly.

Flint was half tempted to say it back but decided against at the last moment.

He laid back against his pillow holding the phone to his ear. He just listened to Lev talk about his life for a long time. He could feel the stress he had been experiencing lately fade significantly.

“But anyway what's up with you?” Lev asked.

“Actually I learned a fact I'm my psychology class that I think you would find interesting.”

“Cool! What is it?” Lev said excitedly. Flint couldn't help the small smile that stole across his face. Lev was the only one who ever actually cared what Flint was learning about. Most people just politely nodded along. 

“When sitting in a group if you hear something amusing and everyone laughs people tend to look at the person they admire most in the group while laughing.” He said.

“Really? That's really cool!” Lev exclaimed. Flint chuckled.

The continued talking for a good time longer until Lev said “Hey Flint, don't you have a class in the morning?”

“Yes, why?” 

“Well I have time to sleep in tomorrow but its three AM, shouldn't you be going to sleep?” Lev continued with no small amount of horror.

Flint glanced at the time surprised “Ah so it is, we been talking longer than I thought.” This was very out of the ordinary for him. It was rare he stayed up this late for any reason.

The last time he could remember being up at three am was when he had a sleep over with Lev for the first time, two years ago. Before that he didn't even know when.

“You should head to bed” Lev sounded slightly disappointed. 

“I should… I'm sorry.” 

“Don't worry about it, just take care of yourself.” Lev told him.

Then he hung up.

***

Lev knew he shouldn't call again. Flint had responded to his email and they were emailing regularly, but Lev wanted to talk on the phone. 

He just didn't want to be the one to call, because last time he had called and he knew that Flint didn't care for talking on the phone. 

The emails had been so nice and he could almost pretend Flint was there talking to him sometimes. It would be even better if Lev could hear his voice. It all made him realize something, and he really had to tell Flint, but he didn't want to do it in writing. 

So Lev worked up his courage, picked up the phone and dialed Flint. 

“Hello?”

“Hi! I've got to talk to you about something…” Lev said.

“I uh unfortunately cannot at the moment. I am heading into my probability and statistics class as we speak. Can we talk about it later perhaps?” 

“Oh… yeah that's fine. It's Probability for the best.” Lev joked half-heartedly.

Flint huffed in response to the pun “I will call you back later”

“Okay”

***

Flint did not call back later. He instead got distracted by another issue also pertaining to Lev.

All through his statistics class Flint had been unable to stop thinking of him. He hadn't even managed to take notes because he was so busy wondering what Lev wanted to talk about, what he was doing, thinking about his smile.

And that last one had been what surprised him. It hit him quite suddenly as he came home that Lev was his best friend in the world and was wonderful and clever and sweet. These sudden surges of platonic affection were few and far between for Flint and he couldn't help but feel there was more to it

Flint paced his room for a while trying to figure out what it was that he was feeling until he remembered he had promised to call back. He picked up the phone and dialed Lev.

It rang a few times and then asked him to leave a message. He hung up before the beep.

He pulled out his computer and sent Lev an email apologizing for not calling, time had just gotten away from him.

He shut his laptop and went to bed still in deep thought.

 

The next day he and Lev exchanged emails agreeing to do a video call at five o'clock that night.

So, Flint went through his day distractedly. He more than once zoned out and missed entire lectures. What was it Lev needed?

Was he trying to tell Flint that their friendship was over? Was he trying to tell Flint that he had begun dating someone?

Why did those two scenarios seem equally unpleasant?

At four forty-five he was cleaning his room so that it was presentable when Lev saw it through the camera. He stopped in front of a mirror that Reese had left out. His hair was a holy mess. 

He pushed up his glasses, tightened his tie, and brushed his hair. His appearance was closer to acceptable now.

He sat down on his bed and pressed call at exactly five o'clock.

“Hi!” Lev exclaimed as he answered. Flint took in his appearance. He had gotten a haircut, but other than that Lev looked no different . 

“Hello,” Flint allowed himself a small smile despite his worry about the coming conversation.

“I have something to tell you.” Lev looked nervous, but was still smiling earnestly.

Flint had missed that, many people smiled without really meaning it. 

Lev always meant it.

“Yes, of course, my apologies for the delay.”

“Its okay. I just uh really need to tell something.”

“Well… go ahead” Flint shifted nervously.

“Flint, I uh really-like-you-and-I-really-wanna-be-with-you” Lev spilled out all in one breath “but like... it's okay if you don't like me too... I just thought you should know and... yeah” 

Flint blinked a few times.

“Flint?” Lev said cautiously after a moment.

“Yes?” Flint said still blinking.

“What do you think?”

“I think… I need you to just hold on for a short time. I will call you back. Goodbye.” Flint pushed the end call button.

He opened a new tab on his laptop and sent two final emails.

***

Lev was losing his mind. It was almost seven in the morning, the next day. Flint hadn't called back and he hadn't slept. On the bright side Lev had gone through all the stages of grief. 

Worry, realizing you wrecked your friendship, uncontrollable crying, ice cream. 

So, he was in a better place. Or he would be if he hadn't run out of vegan ice cream. He'd have to buy Beckett a new container because half the ice cream he had eaten hadn't been his.

He had tried calling Flint once, but didn't want to be pushy and decided not to call again.

He threw himself down face first on his bed and groaned into his pillow. Then there was a knock at the door.

Odd considering the time. 

Lev pushed himself up and slumped toward the door. He pulled it open a crack and peered out.

He blinked, certain his eyes were just tired, and were tricking him.

He pulled the door open quickly. Standing in front of him was a tired looking man with glasses, a tie, and a grocery bag in his hand.

“Flint?” Lev breathed.

“Okay, so perhaps I did not call back. And perhaps it was a bit longer of a wait than you expected, but I brought ice cream, and an apology.”

Lev took the grocery bag which held three containers of his favorite flavor of ice cream. How did he know that Lev would need more ice cream? He let Flint in and led the other man past Beckett's bedroom door and to the small kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” 

“I… ahem well as soon as I hung up it was like I already knew everything I had to do. I merely had to put it into action. So, I emailed the dean of admissions here taking them up on the offer to transfer schools. Then I emailed the administrators at my school, I packed everything back up, got in the car, and now I'm here.”

“They offered to let you transfer?” 

“Oh yes, this is one of several schools who hoped for me switch over. They really liked my grade point average from high school”

“So why did you switch over?” Lev asked getting the feeling that he knew why, but he really needed to double check.

Flint pushed his messed up hair out of his face and sighed “To be with you, if you'll have me. It occurs to me though that after this stunt that door may be closed so-”

Lev dropped the bag of ice cream and rushed forward pulling Flint into a fierce hug.

“It's absolutely not closed.” He said firmly, burying his face in Flint's shoulder. 

Flint physically relaxed into the hug. “Oh thank goodness, there wouldn't have been any real way to maintain my dignity if you didn't find this gesture romantic.”

Lev pulled away slightly “I am a little surprised that you did this. It seems a little impulsive for you.”

“Oh it is, believe me, but I've only gotten three hours of sleep in the past forty eight hours, so you'll have to forgive me if my decision making is a little more emotional than usual.”

Lev giggled and pulled Flint tighter toward him.


End file.
